


Different Circumstances

by greygerbil



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Discussion of Canon-Typical Homophobia, Established Relationship, M/M, Magic mpreg, Post-Main Quest, Pre-Trespasser, Unplanned Pregnancy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-28
Updated: 2019-07-28
Packaged: 2020-07-23 16:30:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,696
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20011372
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/greygerbil/pseuds/greygerbil
Summary: Dorian will have an heir, after all. Neither he or Kaaras, who is carrying it, are sure what to do with that knowledge.





	Different Circumstances

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Asymptotical](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Asymptotical/gifts).



“If the magic in this artefact could be reproduced...”

“I had that same thought. It would change up a lot of things in Tevinter, I imagine,” Kaaras answered, turning the statue in his hand. It was silver, with eyes of rubies, shaped like some animal that vaguely resembled a cat. Solas had warned him not to be careless with it, as it carried properties even he couldn’t read at first glance. He was gone now, but Vivienne had taken to studying the artefact and after months, she had unlocked its secret and revealed it too Kaaras.

Thinking back, Kaaras figured he had indeed felt a charge run up his fingertips when he had set it aside as Dorian joined him under his blanket and parted his thighs with a playful grin, that one fateful night out in the Hissing Wastes after Kaaras had found the artefact in an old tomb. It explained why Kaaras had been gaining weight steadily over the last months, despite the fact that he spent every single day on his feet and most with only rather dull provisions at hand. Vivienne had barely finished speaking when he’d turned on his heel. He’d almost knocked over a couple of soldiers on his way as he’d run to get Dorian and dragged him up to his chambers.

“It’s strange to think how things might have developed between me and my father if this magic were known back home.” Dorian hesitated. “And I can’t even say now if it would have been for the better.”

“Why not?” Kaaras looked up in surprise. “Wasn’t the problem always that you wouldn’t have children to continue your family’s bloodline?”

“Sure, that’s why my _interests_ were an issue, but the things I learned about my father because of them – how far he would go... that’s in his character. It would still be true if I had been conveniently attracted to women, or if I had a little artefact to wave around that would allow me to impregnate any suitably magic man of his choosing. I just wouldn’t have known about it.”

“You’re right,” Kaaras admitted, carefully slipping the artefact back in the thick bag that Vivienne had chosen for it. As long as nobody touched it, she’d said, nothing would happen. It wouldn’t lead to anyone else falling pregnant.

Dorian stopped his pacing around Kaaras’ room and stared at him.

“What am I talking about?”

Kaaras looked back, all confusion. “The artefact?”

“Why am I talking about myself? Why am I talking about _Tevinter_? You’re pregnant!” Dorian burst out.

“Oh. That’s alright. It’s the first thing that came to my mind, too,” Kaaras said, honestly, setting the artefact down on his bedside table. The need for offspring had ruled so much of Dorian’s life, whereas Kaaras had always set the idea aside for later, vaguely happy with the notion that he might at some point adopt an orphan if he ever left the mercenary life behind, which didn’t seem the right way to raise a kid. He was not a mercenary now, but obviously, being the Inquisitor hadn’t lent itself to family planning, either. “It doesn’t seem real to me yet, anyway.”

“I imagine.” Slowly, Dorian lowered himself down by Kaaras’ side. “For what it’s worth, I do apologise for all the jokes I made about your belly these past few weeks.”

“Most of them seemed more like compliments,” Kaaras answered, smiling.

“You wear it very well.”

This was easy. Dorian had such a quick wit and tongue, he could spin a joke out of anything, and Kaaras loved providing him with opportunities, enjoyed all his teasing, too. They would have to talk properly, though. Both sat in silence for a moment.

“Are you – going to keep it?” Dorian asked carefully.

“I fear it’s too late to have that discussion. The kid has been moving for a while. I just never knew what to make of it.” Kaaras watched Dorian’s face. “I’m sorry,” he added.

Dorian shook his head. “What do you have to be sorry about, Amatus?”

“I was the one who touched the artefact. Solas did warn me it could be dangerous.”

“As if we all don’t go around playing with impossibly dangerous magic every day?” Dorian took Kaaras’ hand and turned it around, palm up. They looked at the cut there, bristling with magic. “I should say being by your side is unreasonable enough for anyone. You could be more dangerous than any artefact.”

“I guess so,” Kaaras allowed, smiling.

“How are you feeling?”

Kaaras had tried not to ask himself that question. He realised, somewhere in the back of his mind, that he was terrified, despite the fact that he was an eight foot man with horns like a bull who had travelled through time and faced down demons in the raw Fade and Corypheus himself. He had no business being afraid of a small child growing in his belly.

“I’m just – worried. I should be about six months along and I haven’t been careful.” It was not a lie. He was not happy with that, either. “If something is wrong with our child because I dragged myself onto the battlefield pregnant, I couldn’t forgive myself.”

“It’s not like you knew,” Dorian answered. “The baby is moving, you said?”

“Yes.”

“Then for now we’ll trust that a child we made has inherited our penchant for unlikely survival,” Dorian gave back. “There’s really not much else we can do for now, and likely everything is fine, anyway, so there’s no point in blaming yourself.”

For all his jests, Dorian was always the voice of reason he needed to hear. Kaaras nodded his head, placing a hand over his round stomach.

“What do you think about... this?”

His lover rose to his feet and wandered over to the window again.

“I never thought I’d have a child, and if I did, I figured it wouldn’t be with someone I cared for, but only because I’d caved to my father’s demands. Barely anyone in Tevinter who has a drop of worthy blood is lucky enough to choose their partner. I’m... I think I’m happy,” he said, finally, smiling at Kaaras, but the expression faded. “However, if I am to return to Tevinter...”

Kaaras gave him a nod. 

“I’ll have something to remember you by,” he said, smiling sadly.

Dorian’s frown deepened.

He knew how important going back was to Dorian. He knew he’d already made plans. The moment Kaaras’ heart would break entirely was suspended for now, but it was coming without question. Still, he understood why Dorian had made this decision, which was why he couldn’t beg and plead him to stay as he wanted. Dorian was doing the right thing. 

“I know you don’t want me there,” Kaaras added, carefully, “that you said you have to do this for yourself. But if you don’t want me to interfere, I won’t. I could still come with you.”

“Better don’t make that promise. I know you, you always end up in the thick of it,” Dorian said with a pale smile, running a hand over his hair. “Really, it’s an even worse idea to take you now. You would both be targets. But...”

“You don’t want your child to grow up without you,” Kaaras said. It was not a question or an accusation. He could simply read that fact on Dorian’s face.

“Well, most of all, I want my child to grow up at all, not die to an assassin before it’s out of swaddling clothes.”

“Other people in Tevinter have families, I’m sure,” Kaaras argued. “We will always be targets, anyway. I’m the Inquisitor. Do you think I haven’t earned enough people’s ire on my own? I could protect our child better than most.” ‘And you, too,’ Kaaras wanted to add, but he knew that would only turn Dorian off the idea of taking him along.

“Stop that,” Dorian said, imperatively. “You make it sound too tempting.”

“Well, I guess I am trying to tempt you.”

Sighing, Dorian sank down on the bed again, though his hands were still restless, fingers stretching and curling.

“You know what the strangest thing is? You would be quite the catch for any Tevinter magister. Even without that thing in your hand, your magic is very strong.” His mouth twisted downwards. “My father will be pleased,” he added, bitterly. “Well, at least you’re still qunari, that should cause a significant scandal. Though I’ve seen magisters look past way worse than some horns for a good bloodline.” He turned to look at Kaaras. “Do baby qunari have horns?”

“Small horns. Kind of like pointed nubs,” Kaaras answered.

“How revoltingly adorable.” Dorian’s gaze dropped. “Can I see... not that I haven’t seen your stomach, but...”

Kaaras nodded his head. He knew what Dorian meant. It was different knowing that there was something inside.

After pulling his tunic over his head, he stretched out on the broad bed. Dorian straddled one of his thick thighs as he moved over him, placing his palm against the underside of his belly. Kaaras’ heart was pounding.

“I don’t want to leave you. Either of you. I never wanted to.”

“I know,” he said quietly.

“I wish all of this were easier.”

“To be fair, when has it ever been for us?” Kaaras asked, with a brief smile.

Dorian chuckled and leaned down, laid his cheek against the round curve of Kaaras’ stomach.

“You win,” he murmured. “Let’s stay together. Wherever we go.”

Kaaras put his large hand on the back of Dorian’s neck. They stayed like this for a long, quiet moment, until there was a shift inside him and then a nudge, right under Dorian’s cheek.

“Oh, is this how it’s going to be?” Dorian asked Kaaras’ belly, softly pressing his thumb down on it as if in retaliation. The expression his face balanced amusement with wonder.

“If it’s a disobedient wild child, that’s on you,” Kaaras said.

“I want to pretend I can object, but I think even I’m not that good of a liar.”

Dorian placed a kiss on his belly and Kaaras thought his heart might burst, after all, but only for joy.


End file.
